Skating rink floor



June 23, 1931. w. c. PALSON SKATING RINK FLOOR Filed Jan. 22. 1929 210 W G. Que, 1a MQQQ (9T van Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT I j WILLIAM c. PALSON, or MANCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB or own- A F TO ARTHUR o. WALWOBTH, or nnwron, MASSACHUSETTS I K SKATING RINK FLOOR I Application filed January 22, 1929'; Serial No. 334,2? 5.

This invention relates to heat exchange units and more particularly to units of this type which are especially advantageous in an indoor skating rink floor construction.

The floors of indoor Skating rinks are com monly constructed of concrete or like material having embedded therein in closely assembled relation a plurality of conduits for conveying a. cooling fiuid. A thin layer of water is placed upon the floor and the heat therein absorbed by conducting a cooling fluid or refrigerant through the conduits thereby causing the water to freeze and provide a smooth surfaced layer of ice upon the floor. v come unsuitable for skating, it is either scraped and supplied with a fresh layer of water or permitted to melt and then refrozen. On account of the large number of closely assembled fluid conduits in such a floor construction, it is very costly to build. Moreover, because of the large volume of cooling fluid which must be circulated through the conduits the operation of the skating rink is extremely expensive.

It is an object of the. present invention to provide a floor construction for a skating Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cooling System; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the same.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other When the surface of the ice has beembodiments andof being practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the -'phraseologly or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims appended hereto as considered in view of the prior art and the re uirements thereofne embodiment of the'invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings show ing a skating ring floor construction comprising upper and lower outer layers and 1 1 respectively'of concrete or similar material and an intermediate layer 12 of cork or similar heat insulating material. The improved heat absorbing-system is embedded in the up- 7 per layer 10 and includes a'plurality of widely separated conduits 15 through which a cooling fluid, such as brine, may be circulated. The conduits 15 are similar to those employed heretofore but are spaced apart a much greater distance. A largeportion of the areas between the conduits-15Tis occupied by a good heat absorbing material, preferably, in sheet form connected in suitable heat conducting contact with the conduits 15 and presenting relatively large portions of their plane surfaces parallel to'the surface of the floor. For

this purpose, as illustrated, fins 16 are provided connected to the conduits 15 in'closely spaced relation and extending therefrom, preferably in opposite-directions, to points substantially midway between the conduits. Preferably, the fins l6 surround the conduits in planes transverse thereto andare twisted at points relatively close to the conduits into a longitudinal plane (intersecting the conduit). It will be understood that the conduits 15 communicate with a suitable apparatus of any well known construction for causing a cooling fluid to circulate therethrough.

The invention greatly reduces thenumber of cooling fluid conduits required in a given floor area and at the same time provides for eflicient and uniform absorption of heat from the entire floor area. The cost of construction is thereby greatly reduced. A skating rink provided with a floor construction embodying the invention may be operated at a materially lowered cost on account of the simplicity of the system.

What I claim is:

l. A skating rink floor having therein a cooling system comprising widely separated conduits for a cooling fluid, andheat absorbing elements connected to said conduits and extending into the space therebetween in closely spaced relation, said conduits being spaced apart a distance materially greater than their diameter.

2. A skating rink floor having therein a cooling system comprising widely separated conduits for a cooling fluid, and heat absorbing elements of sheet material connected to said conduits and extending therefrom to points substantially midway between conduits and having relatively large portions of their plane surfaces parallel to the surface of said floor, said conduits being spaced apart a distance materially greater than their diameter.

8. A skating rink floor having therein a cooling system comprising widely separated conduits for a cooling fluid, and heat absorbing elements of sheet material connected to said conduits in planes perpendicular thereto and. twisted into a plane parallel to the surface of said floor, said elements extending from said conduits in opposite directions in closely spaced relation to points substantially midway between conduits. a

4;. A heat exchange. element comprising a conduit having heat absorbing elements extending therefromin spaced transverse planes and having portions thereof twisted into substantially the same longitudinal plane intersecting said conduit.

40 5. A heat exchange element comprising a conduit having heat absorbing elements extending therefrom in spaced transverse planes and having portions thereof twisted into substantially the same longitudinal plane intersecting said conduit, said portions forming a-substantially continuous surface.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' WILLIAM C. PALS'ON. 

